Jan. 7, 2005
Ten former Georgia Tech football players will participate in the National Football League playoffs, which get underway this weekend.
Two former Yellow Jackets play for the hometown Atlanta Falcons, the NFC South division champions, in Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Brooking and wide receiver Dez White.
Elsewhere in the NFC, top-seeded Philadelphia is home to former Tech running back Dorsey Levens, who backs up starter Bryan Westbrook in his 11th pro season.
A pair of former Yellow Jackets play for the Minnesota Vikings in wide receiver Kelly Campbell and tackle Nat Dorsey, while defensive tackle Tony Hargrove is a starter for the St. Louis Rams.
In the AFC, the Denver Broncos feature three former Yellow Jackets in defensive end Marco Coleman and safeties Chris Young and Nick Ferguson.
Linebacker Nick Rogers spent most of the 2004 season with the Green Bay Packers, who released him in December, but the former Yellow Jacket immediately joined the Indianapolis Colts.
In addition, cornerback Jonathan Cox is on the practice squad for the AFC West champion San Diego Chargers.
The AFC’s top seed, the Pittsburgh Steelers, do not have any Tech players on their roster, but their offensive coordinator is former Yellow Jacket tight end Ken Whisenhunt.
Other former Yellow Jackets who played in the NFL this season but are not in the playoffs include wide receiver Jonathan Smith and running back Joe Burns of the Buffalo Bills, linebacker Daryl Smith of the Jacksonville Jaguars, linebacker Keyaron Fox of the Kansas City Chiefs, running back Tony Hollings of the Houston Texans, safety Travares Tillman of the Carolina Panthers and tight end Will Heller of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Defensive end Felipe Claybrooks was on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad, and tight end John Paul Foschi finished the season on the Oakland Raiders’ practice squad after spending time in Denver and Minnesota.
Former Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton spent the early part of the season on the Indianapolis Colts’ roster but was cut. He recently signed on for another season with the Orlando Predators for the upcoming Arena Football League season, where Kerry Watkins and Jason Bostic will also play this spring.
